Now that the title has drawn you in I would like to ask the kawmunity a question. I have already googled this but I can not find a satisfactory answer. I'm looking for responses from people who have gone through something similar or can provide a link to possibly aid me. First I would like to say that this involves laws in the state of California. My question: If it is not possible to attend a court date can someone besides a lawyer go in your place and represent you? Is it possible to have a friend or a significant other go in your place? Some details: * it is a misdemeanor * it's in California * it is a domestic violence case * the perpetrator was bailed out before an arraignment hearing ( bail schedule) * the court date is a month from now * a lawyer would be the best choice but the purpose of this question is to explore other options DISCLAIMER: The above mentioned details do not involve me or anyone real and are only given in a hypothetical sense. Thank you